As soon as I saw Hiram I knew he was a different man. It was not necessary for me to tell him. Details were published in every daily paper. He had gone back to Anna Bell Morgan clean, unsullied, unbesmirched—his conception of what a man should be, and prosperous beyond dreams. A solid, forceful man, ambitious without limit, he was much interested in the brief information I gave him of how I had successfully uncovered and apprehended in Kansas City all the others involved in the crime, who evidenced a power of organization which, if directed in legitimate channels, would have made them rich.

He had rented and furnished offices, where I found him at work.

"Had to have headquarters, Ben—just one room, with an adjoining one for you—let me introduce you to it," he said, putting his hand affectionately on my shoulder, leading through a connecting door into a big, well-lighted, expensively furnished office.

"Sit down and see how it seems to have a home of your own," he went on, pushing me into a big leather chair and throwing up the top of a commodious mahogany desk. Everywhere showed evidence of the feminine touch.

"You see, Ben, I could not have done so well. This is Anna Bell's idea and selection—I have told her so much of you she feels, in fact acts, as though she knew you as well as I do, but you will meet her soon and she will tell you about that herself. I never would have thought of the carpet, but she said carpet, and there was carpet," he mused reminiscently, as he pulled up a chair and sat down near me where he could look out of the window.

"I've got to leave to-night again on the Fearsome and there is so much to tell you—something I want to ask you about."

I was too astonished and delighted with the enterprise and zeal of the fellow to know what to say.

"Ben, why don't you say something—don't you like this?" he asked solicitously, leaning toward me and scanning my face. He was the boy again.

"Hiram, give me a little time—I was wondering how you managed so quickly to do all this——"

"There—that's better," said he, a relieved smile creeping about the upturned corners of his mouth. "I told you I didn't—I couldn't—have done it alone—you see, Ben, I am making three trips a week to Gulf port instead of two, and carrying enough general merchandise back to pay expenses," and then turning his chair so as to look squarely at me, he continued. "It is pouring prosperity, though we are making a willing, patriotic sacrifice while doing it, and we must hustle like sixty until the rain is over."

I looked at him more astonished, as I felt sure something bigger was coming. Was there no limit?

"We are making money pretty fast now, but this won't last—I know now the logs in the river will disappear soon after we get at them again, and you know we have got to look ahead. I can buy a tract of timber up there at Gulfport—cheap—enough timber to keep us sawing for years. Now don't look so alarmed—it will take a lot of money, but we've got to do it if it is possible. I've opened a bank account here and talked to the president about it—but everything now is going into Liberty bonds and you can't blame them—but it's got to be done, Ben," he repeated in a tense undertone, bringing his hard hand down on my knee with a loud slap.

Looking at him in wonder for a moment, I finally asked,

"How much will it take, Hiram?"

"Now don't fall over when I tell you—that's why I got a big chair with a soft cushion, so that you could sustain a shock once in a while without injury. Ben, it will take about a hundred thousand dollars to get it, but it's got to come," he ended, passing his hand rapidly over his chin as though glad it was out.

"You have not forgotten, Hiram, that you must settle with the railroad for the engine in the Fearsome and the sawmill, too?"

"I know we have, but I've got enough in the bank for that and more besides," he replied quickly. "What do you think, is it possible?" he asked, making me feel he was not to be resisted.

"I don't know, Hiram; you are placing a pretty big order—we'll see—I don't believe I told you just how much I sold that barrel for, did I?" turning to him with an affected smile of derision.

"Yes, I know you will have the laugh on me as long as you live about that barrel; in fact, I will laugh myself every time I think of it even if I am at a funeral, but that couldn't happen again in a million years," he replied, getting up and pacing the room, finally halting in the opposite corner, where he catapulted a question as though he might be coming along with it.

"How much did you get for it, Ben?"

"It was as you say, Hiram, a thousand-to-one shot that could not have happened and never will happen again—I don't claim any credit, except in discovering it was not junk, by a little leakage through the chimes which discolored my fingers."

"I know—I know—you never claim anything," he interrupted.

"You see, we had to pay something like twenty thousand to clear the Fearsome."

"Yes, I know that."

"Well, I think there is a balance in the bank of something about forty thousand more——"

"You are joking again, Ben," he interrupted, charging over toward me, incredulous, as I took from my wallet a credit slip which he grasped and began to cavort and cut capers on the expensive carpet, much the same as he acted at the first signs of good luck, months before.

"Ben, you are a mascot—you have been one to me, anyhow—now in another month—before this deal can be closed—I can pay the railroad claim for the motor and the sawmill, and every other stiver we owe. And we'll have at least ten thousand more to bring our balance up to fifty thousand. Now, how can we raise fifty thousand more?" he asked, fairly excited—he pronounced fifty thousand as though he was used to dealing in those figures all his life—as though it was no more than the price of one of those famous beefsteaks he liked so well. He must have inherited it from the Gold-Beater—as he did the love for new, clean lumber and the lumber business. Hiram admitted he knew so little of his father that he was unaware I knew he was a Lumber King.

I took out cigars, thinking hard, and offered him one.

"No, thank you, I prefer a pipe," said he producing one at once as something he had overlooked.

"Hiram, give me a little time—you say you leave this afternoon?"

"Yes, I ought to be on the dock now," said he, blowing a cloud of smoke and scanning me as though to learn just what I was thinking. "I will be back day after to-morrow," he added, anticipating the question.

"I'll see"—I said, moving back a little in my big chair and contemplating the end of my cigar—"perhaps when you get back I may have something—maybe there is a way——"

"Don't say maybe—say you will do it," he prodded.

"Hiram, I still say maybe," I answered firmly, wondering whether the Gold-Beater was still down the river shooting ducks, and if I could get into touch with him before Hiram returned.

Early on the morning he was due back, a messenger came to say I was wanted on the telephone by some one at Lake Borgne Locks. I knew it was Hiram—he had probably been calling Anna Bell Morgan to tell her of his arrival and knew he would catch me in my room.

"What news?" he asked as though tired of waiting, and more, as though he expected it to be favorable.

"The news is all right."

"Oh, I knew it would be," he broke in, not waiting for me to finish. "Say, I will be up to the docks at eight, and be at the office at ten—meet me there," and he hung up abruptly.

This suited me exactly. I was through and had made reservation on a train leaving for the North—for home and a little rest.

I had cleaned up everything except a little writing and was doing that in the office that had been so generously provided for me, when I heard Hiram enter his adjoining room. The door between was not tightly closed, and I was aware at once he was not alone. He had evidently made an engagement also with Anna Bell Morgan. I could hear his voice easily, and as I was aroused from the preoccupation of my writing, I could hear her voice, and as I listened closely there came a shock, a slow, leaden, enervating, numbing shock on recognizing the voice of Miss Bascom, my clerk. The whole thing swam slowly before me. I knew now why she had acted her rÔle with such intensity and risk. I felt an impulse to grab my grip and bolt through the door into the hall and take my train without meeting them together, but I didn't have time before he came bursting through the door leading her proudly to me.

"Mr. Taylor, I introduce my wife. I forgot to tell you we were to be married at nine." I arose, took her extended hand as she looked at me squarely, radiantly, but with a plea. I got her message, but I think I made a failure of the greeting and congratulations. I was afraid Hiram noticed it. In fact, I felt sheepish that I had not discovered that she had assumed a name and underwent the disgusting experiences with Becker and Burrell to help him.

"Not going away, Ben?" Hiram asked, noticing my grip—he never overlooked anything.

"Yes, Hiram, I am going to leave you now—I am through here."

"You—you don't mean—when will you be back, Ben?" he asked, glancing in alarm first at me and then at his bride of an hour.

"I don't know when I will return, Hiram. Just now I have to answer the call of others. I may come back to testify at the trial."

"You don't mean you are not going to stay here with me—when things are just getting started right?" he began, coming over and placing one hand on the back of my chair and bending forward to look in my face to see if I was ill.

"Sit down—both of you," I interrupted, looking at Anna Bell's radiance changing to disappointment too, as he brought chairs up near me. "I have a confession to make, and I like to do the unpleasant things first and have them over with."

"But say, old fellow, you can't leave me now—I need you in so many ways—you see, we have been through so much together——" began Hiram, leaning well forward in his chair.

"It cannot be—just now anyhow—and perhaps you will not want me to do so when I admit to a certain sort of duplicity—but at which I hope in the course of time you will look upon tolerantly, forgivingly—I don't want you to think badly of me—as I have in the last few months become deeply attached to you."

"What are you getting at, Ben—I will never believe you have deceived——"

"Wait till I tell you why I came here—left New York with you, was paid a definite sum and expenses for doing so for a definite purpose, and that purpose is now accomplished, and the Government, engaged in a gigantic war, calls me to other activities. I must——"

"I don't care what you have done or been, though I don't quite understand," he began, his voice almost failing; "we are doing work for the Government just as important as any—and I need you."

"You may have needed me, Hiram, but you don't now—you are nicely started and you have better help now than I can give," I broke in, looking at Anna Bell, who was as much affected as Hiram. "She is courageous, a natural diplomat and wonderful at plans, and besides, you can now stand alone and must learn to rely on yourself, and besides, more than two in a firm often complicates matters."

"I know—I know—I can see—but you don't explain—what is this you are hinting——?"

"Hiram, it may be better for it to come to you gradually. Now let us talk about money for my train goes soon and I find I need some money, and I must give you the big check necessary to pay for the timber land. First of all, will you cash these checks for me? These are my salary checks I have never used," I explained as I took them out, turned to the desk and endorsed them, aware that Hiram and Anna Bell were looking at each other and trying to understand.

"Ben, I am sure this is only a misconception—a feeling of delicacy—that you may be interfering——"

"No, Hiram, my plans are definite; I cannot change them if I would," said I, handing him the checks as soberly as though not anticipating his astonishment when he saw them.

At first he did not look at them, but laid them on his knee as a mere matter of detail. He was too busy trying to divine what was going on in my mind; finally glancing down at them, he became aware there was something familiar about them, and then his excitement knew no bounds.

"How the devil"—he began, raising half out of his chair, tapping the checks wildly—"how did you get these? Why, these are like the ones I used to—now I understand," he said, subsiding, quite overcome. "Ben, were you paid by my father? My God, is it possible—then he didn't kick me out—it was just his way——"

"Just his way to teach you to work and make amends for his neglect, and here is another one, the big one for fifty thousand signed by him, too—you may be surprised to know he is now down in the lower reaches of the river, duck-shooting. When I saw him yesterday, I had no difficulty; everything seemed to be prepared for the proposition," I said; looking quizzically at Anna Bell. Mixed with her delight was a shade of fear and apprehension. I tried to make her understand that she must tell him herself about her captivating the Gold-Beater, securing his approval and further support, of the Becker episode, her assumed name—and all to help Hiram. In fact, I did not have the courage to do it.

"I can hardly conceive my father——" Here his voice broke completely.

"And you can hardly credit that the Fearsome might have been placed conveniently in the canal——"

"Oh, heavens, and I thought we were doing it—and did he plan all that trouble in the river—did his men, the lawyers, take her from——?"

"Yes, I guess he did, Hiram; he wanted to try you out—a last real trial——"

"And the barrel, Ben, did he have anything——?"

"No, Hiram, that was a piece of just dumb luck that will always be with you—send me a check for half of it when you get things straightened out," I said, grabbing my grip and bolting. As I rounded the corner of the hall for the elevator, I glanced back. They stood out in the hall, their arms around each other, watching me go.

THE END